Egypt sealed a record $35 billion natural gas agreement with Israel even as ties between the two neighbors hit a political freeze over Gaza and Rafah. President Abdel Fattah el‑Sisi refused to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during the negotiations, underscoring Cairo’s fury over Israel’s military actions in Gaza and the displacement fears in Sinai. Egyptian officials insisted the deal was strictly commercial, aimed at fortifying Egypt’s ambition to become the Eastern Mediterranean’s top gas hub. Watch for more